The Musings Of Jeff Chandler

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My Final Goodbye to the Tavern

This has been a long time coming and for people who are close to me it won’t be a surprise but as of this week, I am no longer a contributing writer to WPTavern. If you’d like more background information on how I’ve reached this point, check out the second half of this interview with Bob WP.

I’ve been writing about WordPress since 2007. That’s when Mark Ghosh, founder of WeblogToolsCollection.com contacted me based on the WordPress articles I was publishing on my personal site and asked if I’d like to be paid to write for him. Two years later, I founded WPTavern.

It is weird to be closing this chapter of my career as the Tavern has only been my second place of employment and WordPress has been part of my daily routine for 12 years. At the same time, I’m hopeful for a fresh start, something new where I feel like I’m performing purposeful work.

As for WordPress Weekly, the goal is to finish updating the archive so that all of the episodes are available. I will not be recording any new episodes.

I’d like to thank everyone who has followed and supported my work over the years. I’d especially like to thank Matt Mullenweg for not only purchasing the Tavern, but for providing me with such a great opportunity to continue my passion for the last five years.

I’m currently unemployed and looking for remote opportunities. I don’t know what I want to do, if I want to stay in the WordPress scene, or get out of the WordPress bubble. I’m pursuing opportunities that I come across. Feel free to pass along any opportunities you think I might be a decent fit for.

Since 2009, I’ve said goodbye to the Tavern a few times but this is the final time. What a ride these last 12 years have been.

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50 thoughts on “My Final Goodbye to the Tavern”

So thankful that the Tavern is a thing to begin with. The community has been deeply impacted by your contributions – it truly wouldn’t have been as great a ride for many of us without the work you’ve done, the interviews you’ve conducted, and everything you’ve published. THANK YOU for everything you’ve done for the community. THANK YOU for everything you’ve done in general. You’re a stellar individual. I’m proud to know you :-)

Thanks Eric. 2007-2013 will always be a special time period for me. I truly felt like I had something awesome under my wings between the Tavern site and the forum. Five years ago, I thought I could turn the Tavern into the second largest WordPress community outside of WordPress.org but I made little progress on that front. When I founded the Tavern in 2009 I said this “Sit back, relax, and engage in thoughtful discussions about this awesome piece of open source software known as WordPress.” And in recent years, the Tavern doesn’t appear to be that kind of place anymore. My opinion of course.

I feel fortunate to have gotten to know you, Jeff, and I wish you the best in whatever comes next! There is a wide world out there that can use a brilliant mind like yours and I have no doubt you’ll be a great asset wherever you land.

Hey Jeff, I know you really opened up on the podcast and you were primed for a new chapter in your life.

What you have done for the community has been amazing. I cannot even sum up all that you have brought to us via the Tavern. And during these last 12 years, which is about the timespan that I’ve been in the WordPress space, WPTavern has been a mainstay for me.

I know there is something just waiting for you. It can be scary, but personally, with all the twists and turns I have done myself, I totally get it and you know you have my support 100% (whatever that might mean).

Although we haven’t had a lot of opportunity to spend time together in person, I consider you a good friend. Wherever you go, I will still look forward to the photos of birds, beautiful skies, and of course, Smoky, on Twitter.

Wow… Not surprised, but still hard to read. I think about my own path with WordPress and how aligned you and I were in our careers at certain points. I had some envy when you were able to make the Tavern your full-time gig and have always been a fan of you and your work. I hope we get to chat again soon…

I frequently would give input at our local Meetup or in other WP-focussed settings and have people ask “how do you know so much about everything WP?” Much of the time my answer was “I heard it on WordPress weekly.”

I don’t know what I’m going to do without you making me look so smart Jeff? 🤔

If you can’t tell, that’s a thinly-veiled show of appreciation for all you’ve done for me and the WP community as a whole for many years! I know you’ve had to deal with a lot of garbage, but there are many who really appreciate you, your writing, your podcast, and how they’ve contributed to the community. Thanks so much for all you’ve done.

Prayers and best wishes that you’ll be able to find work that you’re as passionate about and enjoy as much as you once did WordPress reporting.

Thank you for all you’ve contributed over the years to the WordPress community Jeff! Best of luck with the next chapter in your life, I hope you find contentment and happiness in whatever path you choose.

Nooooooooooooooo…… This makes me sad for the WordPress community, but wish you the best and hope to still see you around the occasional WordCamp.

Ironically, a week ago I stumbled across the last interview I did with you and JJJ, so good…

It reminded me that YOU were big part of me finding my way into the WP Community. That was back in the early early TalkShoe days when I’d equally be driven mad by your rambling for 3 hours about life, and at the same time loving every minute as it gave me a feeling of being connected to something greater.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your many many years of service to this community.

I’m really happy for you Jeff. You’ve done so much! Your impact has been greater than you know and I feel privileged to have been able to get to know you. I’m really excited to follow along and hear more about how you end up applying your many talents in the future. Please keep us posted here if you can!

Wow, Jeff. I can’t remember when your take on WP wasn’t my regular read. I loved your honesty and appreciated that you didn’t pull punches when it seemed like the a8c, or the community was venturing off into the weeds. I’ll definitely miss that. Where ever you go, keep writing.

You will be missed, Jeff. I’m excited to hear what’s next for you. Know that you and WP Tavern made me feel welcome to the WordPress community when I started getting more involved with the community so many years ago. I remember how thrilled I was to finally meet and talk with you at WordCamp Phoenix. Your posts echoed what many WordPress users think. I’m grateful for them and look forward to your announcement on what’s next for you.

I’ve just listened to your interview with BobWP. I didn’t know about the history of WP Tavern, but it’s become my go-to WordPress news site.

I can relate to the part about finding it hard to market yourself.

Love your honesty about Gutenberg too! I’ve had a love/hate relationship with it.

Appreciate all you have done for WP Tavern and the WordPress community. Best of luck with whatever you do next. Seems like podcasting is where your heart is, so I won’t be surprised if that’s part of your new job.

Jeff, thank you so much for your incredible contribution to the WordPress community over the years. I’ve always enjoyed the transparency with which you shared your thoughts regarding so many important events that have impacted our community. Can’t wait to see what the next chapter holds for you!

Your many years of involvement in WordPress has given a unique insight into WordPress which was then reflected in your writing, thank you.

A good journalist is someone to be revered, your relentless pursuit of bbPress 2.6 is a testament to that, I didn’t think we’d be able to hold you at bay for as long as we have, thank you for always keeping me on my toes.

We’ve not yet met in person, I’ve a memory like a sieve but I think I may have joined a hangout once with you after a WordPress Weekly episode, I do hope we get to meet in person one day.

Thanks for everything you’ve done with the Tavern and our community over the years, thank you.

You have made me a better user, developer, and contributor in the WordPress world, thank you.

I wish you well, good health, and success in your future endeavors Jeff,

Thank you, Jeff. I’m sure there have been plenty of days when publishing on the Tavern has been a total rollercoaster, and other days that have just plain sucked. I hope you know that your contributions will be remembered for a long time coming, and I hope you can treasure the high highs and have a short memory about any of the lows.

The work you’ve done matters.

Please reach out if I can make a connection or help you take steps toward opening that next chapter.

Thanks for everything. And by that I mean so much: writing on WLTC, commenting on my blog back in the day, WP Weekly, starting WPTavern and running that through the years, actually having a beer together.

I first got into WP back in 2007 and you have always been there, one of the few constants in a world of change. When I think of ‘the WordPress community’ you are one of the first people I think of. I’ve always considered you as the people’s representative.

I’ve always appreciated your take on things and will be sad if your voice is no longer heard. You should not underestimate the effect you’ve had on the WP community, it has been immense and it is a much better place that it would have otherwise been. Be proud!

I’m writing this like it’s all over, but I’m sure a new exciting chapter will open up for you. I (selfishly) hope it is in the WP ecosystem somewhere – but even if it’s not, I’m sure you will find something that you look forward to each day.

Thanks so much for all your hard work over the years on the Tavern and WordPress Weekly. You were a true inspiration for me with WordPress Weekly. I used to love listening to you live from Australia. You were an amazing source of WordPress news and knowledge and I definitely wouldn’t have even been as passionate and driven to contribute to WordPress and the community if it wasn’t for you so once again I thank you so much! It was so great to see Matt buy WP Tavern so you could focus on that and not have to do your job at the grocery store as well. It was amazing to meet you at WordCamp San Francisco as well!

I wish you all the best for your next chapter Jeffro! I think you’d be amazing working as an Evangelist for somewhere like WP Engine, Flywheel, Pagely or one of the other many hosting companies.

Although I never got to know you personally, I can say without a doubt that your efforts at WP Tavern have meant a lot to me. Not only has this been the best place for finding out about that’s going on with WordPress, but the comments that the posts generated have been fascinating to read. I literally open WP Tavern every single day hoping to see new content.

Thanks for all the hard work and good luck with whatever you decide to do in the future.

Thank you for all the soul and the hard work you’ve poured into the Tavern over the years, Jeff. Letting go can scare the shit out of a human, but I’m sure you’ll be following that big heart of yours and it’ll guide you to places where you can feel fulfilled and glad. I hope you’ll always remember what a great service you (and later you and Sarah) have done the WordPress community. Be well, and don’t be a stranger!

Jeff, you and the show hold a special place in my WordPress journey all the way back to before I joined Automattic and kicked off the Theme Team with Ian Stewart in early 2010. Thanks for your steady voice, courage to speak on any topic, and passion for building a community. 12 years is nothing to sneeze at!

(Also: laughing today at WordCamp Columbus at the bar with Nacin, you, and WP Candy’s Ryan Imel duking it out.)

Wow, it really feels like the end of an era! Thanks for all the time and work you have put into the WordPress community over the years, it really wouldn’t have been the same without you. I remember listening to your podcast every week when I first got into WordPress back in early 2010.

I haven’t been around the WP world much in the last few years, but you will always be a big part of the community to me. Thank you for all the work, and making it feel like a real place with real people, and generally being you.

I felt like this was coming after reading your post a few months back, but it’s still tough to imagine not having my weekly podcast fix. And, it’s literally the only podcast I listen to. Podcasts are not really my thing, but I’ve always enjoyed your show. The non-developer perspective you brought to the table was always refreshing.

I’ve been contemplating what I was going to say to you the past few days. You’ve been such a huge part of the community. In many ways, you and I kind of grew up in this community at the same time, even though we’ve taken different paths. It’s not going to be the same without you around.

I do hope that you find what you’re looking for in life. I know most of us want it to be something in the WP space, but you’ve got to do what’s best for you.

Thank you for everything you’ve put into WP Tavern over the years. No doubt the spirit of the Tavern dies without you. But that’s okay, onto greener pastures you go… I hope you will enjoy your new work, WordPress or not. All the best to you with your search.

I had been listening to your podcast for a few months when I reached out to you for a contact for WordCamp Columbus. If I remember correctly, it was after the combined PodCamp / WordCamp (Maybe 2011?).